friday loves

PHEW!  We made it to Friday...its been a long last week of June, and I am anxiously awaiting July.

Call me crazy, but I just want the bar to be here and OVER and July marks the final, final stretch.  

As an aside, thank you to Josh who notified me that I am 96.8778% of the way there...counting LSAT study time, law school, internships, and now bar studying (such an MBA comment.)

In the midst of the studying, here are some of my current "loves" that are keeping me going strong...

1. Starbucks Blonde Coffee - I could drink this ALL day long with just a splash of milk.

via

2. Fresh flowers make the biggest difference...try an orchid next time you want flowers that last longer than a few days.  This one is going on 2 weeks plus!

3. Finding that quote on pinterest that perfectly describes my life!

via

And last but not least - this tumblr page devoted to the terrors of studying for the bar exam.  I literally laughed out loud for a good 5 minutes this morning when two of my friends shared this gem with me. 

Happy Friday and have a great weekend!

xo.

thought for the week: planning

drawing via

Can't we all relate to this one?  While I do get up each morning determined to change the world and have a good time, this summer has thwarted my plans just a touch.  While I think I am in a good place with my studying, I only want to go through this process once, so I am devoting all of my time to the world of multiple choice questions, essays, and legal terms.  

That being said, while blogging is a wonderful outlet for me and something I plan to continue, my schedule may be a little off or reduced in the coming weeks.  Please know that I will be posting as regularly as I can but sometimes planning my day (and fitting in the hours of studying) will be difficult.  July is quickly approaching which means that August 1 and a return to the real world is just around the corner.  Thank you in advance for sticking with me, and as always thank you for all of the support!

xo,

friday finds: haymarket designs

towels by haymarket designs

Happy Friday AND first day of summer!  In honor of the official first day of summer, I'm sharing these adorable beach towels from Haymarket Designs.  There are tons of choices for patterns, monograms and colors that you can customize.  (Say goodbye to arguments over who the dry towel belong to...)  I think these would be perfect graduation gifts, bridesmaids gifts, or hostess gifts.  This might also be the perfect way to have a little ikat in my life without going too crazy...

xo,

loving ikat

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5

To say I have been obsessed with ikat lately may be a bit of an understatement.  I don't know if it's the bright fun print (perfect for summertime) or just that I am always a bit late to pick up on trends, but ikat is consistently catching my eye.

I know it's a bit trendy, and frankly, I worry that it will soon go the way of the chevron stripe and be totally overdone.  (I can say that since I still have a blog design with chevron stripe...)  In the meantime, however, I think it's the perfect punch to brighten up a space, an outfit, or just on its own.  

What do you think?  Is ikat's time in the sun almost up?

xo,

thought for the week: love and laugh abundantly

I love this quote.  It makes me thankful for all the love and laughter we have experienced in our family as of late.  Here's a quick recap...

LOTS of laughter as we celebrated my Grandmother's 80th Birthday...

mimi's children and grandchildren...we missed you emily!

Lots of love on my parents' 33rd wedding anniversary...

love them

Laughter and fun during Rebecca's debut at the Magnolia Ball....

2013 debutantes...rebecca is in the orange in the second row 

sportin' the carolina blue bow tie and cumberbund set.

Loving Dad at a Father's Day brunch... and Father-in-Law, JF from afar

we like aviators

Lots of love to mother-in-law Peggy for her birthday

happy birthday!

AND last but not least, love to Niece, B on her birthday!

happy birthday b!  never make a funny face in a picture...you never know where it might show up!

Thankful for so much love and laughter.  

xo,

friday finds: lily and laura bracelets

Hello Friends!  Just a very quick post today to share one of my favorite new finds: Lily and Laura Bracelets.  My sister introduced me to these a few weeks ago and we quickly snapped up more than I care to admit.  They are perfect for stacking together or even wearing individually.

lily and laura

my lily and laura stack

In addition to being super cute, the bracelets have a social benefit too.  The company's business practice is to improve the quality of life of artisans in Nepal by paying more than fair trade wages.  No need to feel guilty buying lots of these beauties...snap a few up today to add to your stack!

xo,

wedding registry: tableware quantities

Happy Wednesday!  The week is creeping by, but we are half-way there.  Just a few more days till the weekend lovelies.  What is it about summer weekends that make them even MORE appealing than a usual weekend?!

Today I want to share a quick reference guide for wedding registry "numbers."  I found that when I was registering for items, I had a good idea of what style I liked and what colors I preferred, but I had no idea about how much of everything I needed!  Obviously this reference guide should be adapted to fit your lifestyle (and your storage space), but here are some general thoughts:

xo,

PS: Thanks to Carrie for supplying me with so many wedding registry questions/topics.  If you have a question or a topic you would like to see covered feel free to send me an email or leave me a comment.

ALSO: click here to buy the butternut vanilla extract for yesterday's pound cake recipe.  Don't be alarmed by the orange color- it really does make all the difference.